Speaking of Alternate
by Good Omens
Summary: In which I, with permission, pluck characters from other fanfics and make them do things [A series of omakes, starting with one for Laterality].
1. Namie Namikaze, One

**Disclaimer: The character Namie Namikaze comes from the story Laterality, which is written by Kettobase, this is just an omake fanfic for the story with the pairing of Namie and Sakumo as a thought that came to me of how things may go in the future if Namie chose to reach out to Sakumo and constantly be there for him, so he wouldn't choose to commit honorable suicide.**

 **Thankfully, I've been allowed to post this omake, and it is definitely for the sake of promoting an impressive fanfic.**

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"You know, they're probably thinking this is one of those friendly luncheons to keep either or both of us sane," Namie remarks lightly, lifting a new stick of dango to her mouth.

"Does it bother you?" Her companions asks, but he doesn't seem worried, just curious about her thoughts. It's a common happening between the two of them by now, since they have been doing this for so long, meeting up like this or some other way.

"No, not really. I don't mind either way, but I think if they knew this was an actual date, it'd be troublesome to keep them away. At least when they think it's for our mental health, they won't come barging in on us and eyeing us suspiciously," She has had many a thoughts as to their reactions, too, but that doesn't need to be said out loud. He's smiling, anyway, like he knows what she is thinking and is telling her not to worry so much about it. What happens, happens, right? Or is that just her impression of his expression?

She is younger than him, they both know that is one of the points that will be used to argue against them, the day their relationship is revealed. But neither of them cares about age when it comes to each other, at least not enough to end this. She saved him, he mentions each time it is questioned of how they know each other, and she is still saving him. He isn't lying about that, he is just omitting the other parts of how they know each other.

It doesn't need to be said, most knows of the largest tie between them. Most that care to find out, that is. Others might have chosen to just think up some foolish reason, but so long as those do not trouble them physically or their home or loved ones, then the rumors doesn't matter. No one would dare say anything to their faces, with who they are. Her being related to the Yellow Flash and him being the White Fang.

"If you change your mind, you will tell me, won't you?" He trusts her to, like she's always, as long as she has been saving him, to speak her mind. He owes his heart to her, since the moment she had stopped him - in public, even - to thank him for saving her sensei and congratulate him on being a proper Konoha Shinobi. It had been a moment that had been spoken of for years, and it still was, he had heard. Which he wouldn't be sharing with Namie unless she asked, unwilling to lie to her but also wishing to spare her embarrassment.

"Of course," She replies, despite this being another thing that doesn't really need to be said. It's a silent promise between the two of them that they'll keep until death. "Though if we get found out, you get to be the one to talk to everyone, I'll only shield you from Brother's wrath."

They both knew full well that that wasn't completely true, she wouldn't leave him to fend for himself like that when they were both 'at fault' for this situation. They both cared deeply for each other, they'd both allowed each other close. She'd be standing right by his side and argue against all the arguments they had against them. Possibly the only thing that could break them apart was if Minato and Kakashi both couldn't wrap their heads around it, if neither could even try to accept them.

They were family people, neither would ever stop protecting their precious people. That was just their Will of Fire.


	2. Shiori Inoue, One

**Disclaimer: Obviously this is one of my not mine things, the story this comes from is Inoue Shiori and is written by Hermionechan90. My imagination asked, what if the Root Shinobi went to attack Shiori and Hinako because of some reason like maybe Danzo's dislike of Kakashi or anything like that and well, here's the result I came up with. Oops. Permission has been given to add this omake to my collection. :)**

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There is a running gag in the group familiar with Hatake Kakashi's 'little secret' that said secret can twirl every single person around their pinky finger should they ever feel the need or want to do just that. Themselves included, which has very clearly been proven many a times.

But that doesn't mean that the current sight in front of all of Konoha was something any of them had expected, no, when they'd thought of anything like this - not in the manner of how it was going on now - they'd all worried and made plans and put forth ideas of how to ensure it didn't ever happen, and couldn't. They'd all kept an eye on them when they could, they'd visited to make sure nothing was wrong, they had thought they had it under control.

So when Shiori, with her child in her arms, marched through Konoha and towards the Hokage's tower, everyone seeing it had to pause, blink twice and then rub their eyes or pinch themselves to try to prove that they were or weren't dreaming.

Because trailing after her like little ducklings were a massive amount of Shinobi in varying ages but similar get-ups as the rest, expressions blanker than that of the Hokage faces on the mountain. And they were all watching her intently, some of the younger ones trying to copy how she walked with careful movements seen even by those that had flunked out of the Academy once upon a time.

Shiori paused at the entrance of the building and turned around, offering the large group a warm smile, which was instantly copied by every last one of them, also with varying success or failure. Some of which seemed to set the child in her arms off into giggling fits.

Arriving just in time to hear her announce that they were going to see the Hokage and then, influenced by her daughter's begging, going to play a game, Raido just about had a heart-attack.


	3. Nanami Hyüga, One

**Disclaimer: This time around, I lifted Itachi Uchiha and Nanami Hyüga from the story Stamping on Butterflies by kjate95, and of course, I've gotten permission to post this. And obviously, they own Nanami, though not Itachi, who we all know belongs to a certain someone.**

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She has stopped smiling, again. She does that often, he notes, first in his mind and then out loud, to keep her from thinking too much about her time in the forest. Despite their traitorous intentions, sometimes it is difficult to keep away from your team. And she still has one left, her Sensei, who hadn't known better. It was a loss and a gain, she had completed her mission, but she had suffered for it.

It was regretful that she had been ostracized by her own family, as well as many of Konoha, for the sake of it - this mission had been planned from the beginning. Now that everything was about to begin, there should not be long until she would once more have freedom.

Until she reached of age, of course, then she would be tied down to him. He had known that much for sure for quite some time, now. Since he had overheard her admitting an arranged marriage to her brother. The same qualifications as his own.

He was no fool, the signs were clear, but he would not argue against it. Not as this seemed to be something properly tying his clan down to Konoha, where they could be a part of it and not hidden away, by choice or not. And she was a good person, she cared for many, his younger brother among those people. He would not mind a wife who knew kindness and firmness of the mind both, someone who could make even him laugh.

Despite the many years left until she reached eighteen, he found himself looking forward to a future with her. Even if he believed he would get grey hairs early on, what with her habit of not taking better care of herself.

"Your smile, it drops when you think no one is looking," He clarifies for her when she doesn't seem to understand what the problem is. He frowns unhappily at her, that is another thing to worry about. If she only fakes happiness for the sake of others, she will never truly be happy for herself.

He feels the grey hairs already appearing.


	4. Hikari Uzumaki, One

**A/N: A new omake, using Hikari and a group of Uchiha from the story Reaching, by LilacLilyFlower. Which is pretty neat and sad. Permission has been given to post this omake here, of course.**

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Hikari's head snaps to face Sasuke and suddenly she is outright interrogating him about Naruto, "Is he doing well? Is he happy? Does he eat his vegetables? Who does he sit with at lunch? Who are his friends?"

Most of them are looking at her warily by now, but she doesn't care, her eyes are only for Sasuke right now, and she impatiently awaits replies to her questions, a need to know about her brother overpowering any politeness she may have continued offering before learning that he knew him. This was her chance to know him early, before having a friend, and she was going to take it.

When he hesitantly replies to her questions and then asks her if she has a crush and if she can't just ask Naruto herself, all she does is ask more questions, "Which classroom do you have? Where does he usually sit? Is it unlocked early one? Can one sneak in and out before class begin and anyone is there?"

Her meeting with these four Uchiha end strangely, for all of them, but she is satisfied with her information and has vowed to do all she can for Naruto. Itachi has been very helpful, as has Sasuke, after his brother's acceptance of her weirdness, and Shisui hadn't needed to be lured to her side while Fumiko asks questions and makes a few remarks, but helps her anyway, as she plans out how to make Naruto's life the best it can be, all things considered.

When Naruto arrives to class the day after and finds food waiting for him at his seat, unspoiled and wonderful food that Sasuke has reluctantly protected from Chouji, hope rises within the boy that maybe he has another precious person out there.

He would be right, of course, but he won't know that for some time, yet.


	5. Nobara Inuzuka, One

**A/N: And here we meet Inuzuka Nobara from the story Wild Inuzuka Rose by FoxBane1191, along with Orochimaru. I have permission to post this and obviously, I only own this omake itself, nothing else.**

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"Where are you going, Jounin-san? Aren't you going to watch your Genin fight? Just watching two Konoha Shinobi before leaving makes you seem really suspicious, you know," Nobara is baring her teeth without even meaning to, but none of that matters if she can stall him here, stop him from reaching Sasuke again, like she believes he is trying to, following after him and Sensei just after his fight.

She doesn't like it and doesn't like him, so it doesn't matter at all that he can kill her easily, because that means he will blow his cover and Hokage-sama will catch him. It will be worth it, to protect her Team, the two boys and one man that she has dragged into her pack.

An Inuzuka will never allow pack to come to harm, and she can already sense Kiba nearing, obviously tense as he regards her current actions. Hopefully his Sensei and the other Sensei will take the bait and at least keep Orochimaru here.

She's already irritated the Sannin, she doesn't doubt that he would kill her the first chance he has, just for that, so continuing to irritate him like this is fine, too. He smells of irritation, and he is eyeing her like he is debating getting rid of her right here and now, but she knows he won't, because he's already being hunted by Konoha, for murdering a clan child, born to the Head of the clan, as well as someone with ties to another certain clan, through the future Head, he will be going down.

She doesn't know, after all, if Kabuto had any information on her relationship with Shikamaru, but it is best not to take any chances regarding that. She still knows that the Nara and the Inuzuka would unite to hunt the Sannin because she is pack, and Shikamaru cares about her.

They are attracting attention, however, and that seems to be enough to make him turn away from the doorway out of the room they are within, for now.

Nobara thinks that the moment attention is off him, he will leave some other way, so she still takes care to watch him, at least until Kakashi-Sensei returns, because that will mean Sasuke is safe somewhere, if not returning with him.


	6. Keisuke Gekkö, One

**A/N: I couldn't help myself, I love the story Catch Your Breath by Lang Noi way too much to not write another omake, this time for their character named Gekkö Keisuke, which is a really great character and all. Permission has been given to post this omake here.**

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Keisuke tries her hardest not to blink, but with her opponent being an fully adult male, she already knows she is outclassed. Knowing that he is a famous ninja and goes or will go by the name of White Fang does not make things any easier, it just makes her realize how badly outclassed she is. For a one year old child.

By now, all she's trying to do is get a respectable time for how long she manages to last, and she'll be damned if she doesn't go down fighting.

Yes, she's still just a baby, but still. Looking away will also mean having to look at Kakashi, there's no way to avoid it, and that would mean realizing just where she is and when, and that would just be bad, because as a baby she can't control her reactions properly, and she would just attract attention if the first thing people talked about when seeing her was how she'd started a crying fit at seeing a baby Kakashi.

Not going to happen.

So a staring contest it is, even if she can feel her eyes watering and the need to blink grow.

Her eyes narrows and she picks up the closed thing she can find, a block, and throws it at his face. It doesn't make him blink, but that is perfectly okay, because for a second, it blocks his view of her face, which lets her blink once, then turn an innocent look at him when he stares back for a second time. He can't prove that she'd blinked, which meant she still hadn't lost.

It is just a little embarrassing when she hears a low chuckle erupt from him, that is all.


	7. Namie Namikaze, Two

**A/N: I actually really wanted to try my hand at writing how that first Namie omake came to be, because the thanking of Sakumo was what inspired the entire shipping omake to begin with. Once again, I am just borrowing from Laterality, written by Kettobase. And I tried really hard, ahaha.**

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The villagers are mostly giving him the cold shoulder, it appears like, and a few of them shoots glares at him. It's a bit like how she imagined Naruto to have been treated in his childhood - which wouldn't happen, because Minato would be there to save him from the hatred - and... She felt angry.

What right did the villagers have to judge anyone? The civillians weren't out there, constantly risking their lives. They didn't understand. And as for the Shinobi, well, shouldn't they think about the people that had gotten to live because of the White Fang? They could all have died, on a mission assigned to them. Whatever happened, she doubted - knew, really - that it had been Hatake Sakumo's fault.

If so, she believes her Sensei would have been a lot more resentful of survival, he wouldn't have spoken to her of a world where he would not have gotten so close to death because he got to know her. He would have blamed Sakumo, wouldn't he?

Maybe she is justifying this entire ordeal, but she is so pathetically grateful that she doesn't have to bury another of her team, that for now, her Sensei lives on, and with him not being capable of going out of the village on any missions, he should be safe for some time. A few more years with her Sensei even if he will no longer be even that.

The more she sees of the horrid treatment, the worse it gets, and all she wants is to make the two Hatake that are being shunned, feel better. To prove to them that they still belong in this village, it is their home to and they have a right to being treated like humans, too.

Without even realizing it, she's begun walking in their direction, a path open to them because of the clear avoidance of practically everyone else.

They seem to be trying to make the best of it - or maybe Sakumo just doesn't want his son to be sad, he seems like that kind of a good guy from beginning to end - and she normally wouldn't disturb them, because she knew just how little time they had left together, but with the current public attitude, she doesn't think she is disturbing much, and it might even help, anyway.

She just really wants him to know how grateful she is.

"Sakumo-sama?" She calls out, his first name to not confuse him with Kakashi, the sama because he deserves it, and because she thinks he should know he deserves it. She doesn't want him to die, but she doesn't think she can change that, so she'll at least give him the respect he deserves before it is too late to give him anything.

They turn to her, wary at first, but Kakashi recognizes her immediately and stills, watching her carefully, maybe wary about how she will act, but after a moment, he nods slightly in greeting, and, she thinks hopefully, acceptance of whatever it is she intends to say.

Sakumo seems to take the cue and offers her a slight smile, "Namikaze-san, what can I do for you?"

"Just 'Namie' is fine," But that isn't the point, so without allowing a moment of possible arguing about it, she pushes on to the more important part of her message. "I want to thank you. For saving Hiroto-Sensei. If it hadn't been for you, I, and Kakashi-kun, too, would have had to bury another part of our team. I'm proud of belonging to a Konoha where Shinobi who value the lives of their comrades exist," Here she falters, a bit embarrassed by the staring - her teammate, former teammate, seems to be just as startled as his father, even though he should already know how she feels like, he'd lost a teammate at the same time as her.

"I- I understand that things are difficult, right now," An understatement, she is sure. "But I just wanted you to know that despite everything else, there are some of us that are grateful that you saved the lives, probably the only ones you could, since you are just one man, perfect Shinobi or not."

He looks genuinely surprised, and there are some parts of him that she can't read, but she tries anyway, because she doesn't want to look Kakashi's way just yet, she's got one last point to make to be able to do that, before she can turn away, knowing she has done what she can, "And I know there are some that are grateful that you came back alive, too."

Like Kakashi, who she now finally looks at, again. Knowing Sakumo will follow her gaze with his own, and when Kakashi looks up at his father, she thinks that, that right there, will have to do, "Anyway, that was all I wanted to say. I need to go, but, see you some other time."

Even though she doubts that she will.


	8. Namie Namikaze, Three

**A/N: *Laughs sheepishly* Guess who has got a thing for this pairing now. Yes, I will be the Captain of this ship and I will sink with it, like a good Captain. But yes, another Namie Namikaze and Sakumo Hatake omake for Laterality by Kettobase.**

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"Have lunch with me," It's supposed to sound like a suggestion, but it comes out more like an order. And in a way, it would be one, because she's not about to allow him to wallow in depression long enough to end himself, not while she can help, still. Maybe he will still do it when she isn't there, but for now, she can help, and even if it ends up being useless, at least she'll have tried.

So she grasps his hand and is fully aware that it is only his kindness that keeps him from ripping his hand away and leaving her to go to lunch alone. That, and maybe he is lonely, but he seems so unselfish to her that she doesn't think he'd want to ruin her reputation more than she has done on her own just by defending him and continuing to associate herself with him.

But Namie is the one really being selfish. She's already lost one teammate to death and a Sensei to an unfixable injury. She doesn't think she can handle losing the last one to mourning. To the rules and then to ANBU.

She knows it will probably happen anyway, but if she can just make it wait at least a little longer, she might be able to survive it by holding on to her Brother for the time she will have him.

And from the few talks she's had with Sakumo, she's found someone else to add to her collection of precious people, even if he's not as high on the list as everyone else. She is sure she'll be sad, too, to see him gone. She can't imagine him dead, even knowing he will be. She doesn't want to imagine what it must have been like, for Kakashi to find only a corpse left in his home. It must have been so painful, and she wants to spare him from that for a while, yet.

She would try to spare him completely, but Namie doubts she could manage to walk in on her own, before him, while knowing Sakumo to be dead. To see proof of it with her own eyes, to see what would break Kakashi. She would be too tempted to hide all signs of it, at least for a moment. She isn't sure if she'd go through with it, and she doesn't want to know.

So she drags Sakumo to that ramen place, somewhere she thinks they won't immediately be denied service for some obscure reason or be billed twice as much - if Konoha would do it to Naruto, a demon container, they wouldn't hesitate to do it to Sakumo, a human, despite being a Jounin.

His reputation is in tatters, no one seems to care about all the good he has done, anymore.


	9. Kasumi Fumei, One

**A/N: Welcome to an omake for the story Amber Spirit by HesperideIsis where I show off her Fumei Kasumi, poor thing. I have, of course, gotten permission to post this here.**

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The silence lasts a bit longer than she had meant for it to, but Kasumi sighs and looks into the eyes of the boy that had once been her best, and only, friend, "Naruto-san will never forget. He will take those words of yours to heart and they will stay there for the rest of his life. He will live by them."

It is fact, though she believes that even if Haku hadn't taught her teammate that idealistic way of thinking, he would have come to the same conclusion with time. Especially with a Jounin-sensei like Kakashi-sensei. It is inevitable, but knowing that Haku would never learn of that fact, keeps her from speaking it out loud. Instead she only grins a little, a hint of truth but mostly false, to offer him something for his death.

"...Haku, you never forgot, either, did you? You never really stopped being my friend even if we didn't see each other for so long. Is it okay that I still call you a friend?"

He nods at her, silent because she can not remember his voice from when they were young and she doesn't want to hear the one that remembered that she wasn't there with him, and then he smiles that gentle smile, filled with impressive warmth considering she really doesn't know how he should look like with that kind of smile, anymore. She accepts it anyway, because that is what she needs to move on.

And Kasumi knows there's a chance she wouldn't have been this open if it had truly been Haku in front of her, she knows she would probably never have spoken at all, if there was a chance this would pass from between the two of them, but this is safe territory and it will never leave this room.

The figure in front of her changes appearance back to her own, and then it is gone.

Kasumi closes her eyes, breathes in, then out, before rising, smile in place and thoughts focused on her team.


	10. Keisuke Gekkö, Two

**A/N: I wanted to explore what Minato must have gone through, thinking he'd lost one of his Genin, in Catch Your Breath by Lang Noi. Permission to post this has been given. There is a Minato POV in both chapter 49 and 54 of CYB and I really liked what I read. I can only hope to be as good, really.**

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Minato is supposedly the fastest man alive.

But he wasn't fast enough to save Obito from being crushed under tons of rocks. He wasn't fast enough to save Kakashi from being taken and tortured for information. He wasn't fast enough to save Kei from losing the person she'd always done her best to protect. He wasn't fast enough to stop Iwa from getting their hands on his team.

The fastest man alive isn't all that fast, he's still too slow.

He blames himself, at least a little, despite anything Kushina tells him about how it isn't his fault. He's, well, he feels a bit lost. He failed his team, how can he look them in the eye, the two he has left? He wants more than anything to go back to that moment, to go back and kill those three Iwa-nin responsible for his loss, before they can harm his team, but he knows it is impossible.

The only thing he can do, is protect what he has left, and make sure that it will never happen again. They don't get to die before him. He swears it.

That was probably the worst part of hearing that he was about to lose another of his team, possibly even all of it.

He'd panicked and raced towards them, he'd prayed he'd make it, he'd moved as fast as he could have, under the circumstances. He'd been terrified that he wouldn't make it.

Sometimes he dreams that he hadn't.

Sometimes he dreams of arriving in the middle of a carnage, in the middle of death and loss and the lifeless bodies of those he had been supposed to protect. Sometimes he dreams that he walks into it, he dreams that his feet refuses to move any faster, he dreams that he knowingly is too slow, and he dreams of failing his team.

Minato is supposedly the fastest man alive, and had he not made it then, it would have been entirely his fault.


	11. Kiruma Koizumi, One

**A/N: Fireborn, by FireShire, is a really interesting story with many twists of the plot. I couldn't help but make an omake about the main character, Kiruma, and, of course, get permission to post it in my collection. As for what is next, I do have three completed ones waiting for permission and three in the works, plus two that have been requested, so more will be coming your way!**

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Koizumi Kiruma is a woman that, despite her difficulties of showing it most of the time, cares a lot about the people that, to her, make up Konoha. She has lost so many, already, but there still remains people in the village that needs to be protected and cared for. There are still people there that trust her and will listen when she speaks, people that will accept what she says to be true even with her current missing-nin status.

They don't know it, she believes - they haven't caught her yet, at least - but she visits time to time, bringing little Naruto with her to show him where she learned to love and live, to show him where home is and what there is to protect.

It takes several moments over time to burn all of Konoha into her mind, but only one memory of each of her precious people to remember then in entirety, both the dead and the living.

There aren't many of the living left, and too many of the dead, but she will take what she has left and protect it just as fiercely as the hottest fire.

For the people that left them behind, for the promises she has made, for the lives held in her hands, she'll protect them, keep them away from that darkness that threatens to swallow them all whole and leave nothing and no one left to bare witness to the destruction.

In the end, she'll gladly give her life for any or all of them, and when the time comes to do just that, she does her damnest to bring the enemy down with her, to make the fight just that little bit easier for those she leaves behind.

It is a relief to greet everyone once more, knowing that the rest of them will follow, with time.


	12. Rika Uchiha, One

**A/N: Kettobase is a great writer in general, because there's a second fanfic called Dragonfly, with an Uchiha OC called Rika, and she is hilarious. I have probably read that one just about five times. Also, an anon specifically requested I write something for that story, so I definitely made sure to have fun reading it again, now that it's finished, too.**

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"...Junichi, are you confessing to me?"

"No!" He denied quickly, insistingly. He knew full well what happened to people he did, and he didn't want to be part of the gossip network of the hospital, not even if it got a date with her. She was too young for him, even if she acted somewhat... Not-young. It was the only way he could explain that one. "I'm just saying we should hang out! As friends!"

"Then what do you want to do?" She was grinning, now, which seemed a prelude to many bad things, if their previous time out was any indication. "Because I have a few-"

"Lunch!" He blurts out, because her suggestions are weird and troublesome and not at all what a normal friend would suggest. It's like she enjoys making trouble, which he doesn't. Sort of. So. Lunch. "Let's have lunch at that new place?"

"That's boring, though," Rika complains. "Are you sure we can't instead just-"

"I-I don't have time for anything exciting?" It's a half-hearted try, and he's sure she's going to somehow get him to agree to something more _exciting_ , but she deflates and then nods, with a grin.

"Lunch it is," It's weird, but sort of relieving, so he doesn't question it and mumbles out a good time for them to meet outside of the place. It's not like she's not allowed to act a little strange. Hadn't she lost someone recently? And wasn't she taking time off from the hospital? It was fine for her to act a little strange, expected really.

It was okay for her to seem a little sad and lost as she agreed to meet him in three days.

But Junichi never got to try to cheer her up and help her like she'd done for him in the first place. Because the day of their agreed upon meeting, the word of a massacre went around, and when he stood there waiting for her, the only part of her that reached him, was the connection of her last name to the deaths of many Konoha villagers.


	13. Shikako Nara, One

**A/N: TheFalse asked if no one else shipped this, and well, I had to. I don't know why I had to, I just had to. An omake for Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen.**

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"Should we do something about that?" Haku questions, peering at the wall separating them from the commotion happening on the side.

Shikako looks up at him, slightly confused as to why he'd- Ah, right, he wasn't used to this, "No, it's fine, it'll die down soon. They just need to get their anger out of their system and then we can grab Jiraiya-sama and go somewhere else. Besides, it's better this way, he won't get hunted down in the middle of an explanation if it is over with before we go."

"Is this how that trip Naruto had, went?" He sounds like he's not sure he should be disapproving or disbelieving, and she smiles, because he's probably seen worse, but he's still the kind Haku she'd gotten to know in Wave. Even with his past, he had a good heart. Befriending him had worked out well, for all of them.

"Maybe a little bit, but I'm sure Naruto got a lot of training in, anyway. There's nothing that can keep Naruto away from training, and Jiraiya-sama knows better than to leave him all alone for too long, without being sure everything'd be fine," She explains, and the way she worded it should ensure the issue doesn't need any other explanations to be resolved. Haku also knows not to pry too much, and the smile he returns to her says just as much. Naruto is fine, either way, they've both seen it.

"But if you'd prefer, we can come back for him later?" Shikako offers, because it isn't time-sensitive, she doesn't have to get his opinion immediately, and she's eating up a lot of Haku's time already.

"That's alright, I don't mind," Then again, Haku isn't going to complain, that much is obvious.

"I insist," She smiles again, something that seems to be common, lately, in his company. "I don't have to talk to him right now, if he disappears before I can, I'll figure it out on my own." She will take longer, but she's not going to eat up all of Haku's time without showing him around, like she'd been supposed to. "Let me show you a good place to eat. And then we can see if we can find Naruto, if you want to."

That seemed to have done it, because he nods with another of his gentle smiles, "If you insist, then I won't say no."


	14. Shikako Nara, Two

**A/N: Um. Yeah, so this happened. The shipping thread in the forum "We're all just Dreaming of Sunshine" is definitely at fault this time too. Also the fun mentor-like way Shikako and Ibiki interact in Dreaming of Sunshine (by Silver Queen), is also partly at fault for this omake I did. It was fun, though, to write.**

* * *

Shikako clenches her hands into fists, reminding herself that it didn't matter, she didn't need to think about this anymore. It was a resolved issue, as far as she was concerned, and anyone that thought otherwise, that thought they could control her life, were wrong. They had no say, and despite any ideas they might have that they did, she wasn't going to listen. She had better things to do, other things to worry about, like _Akatsuki_ and _Uchiha Madara_ just to start with.

She needs an out, and she needs it now. That's why it's relieving, to remember that she does have something she's supposed to be doing right now, and a reminder of it happens to be on the way there, already. She can feel Ibiki nearing the building, and she smiles.

It's not a kind, or grateful, smile at all. It's not forgiving. It's sharp, and calculating, and she can see that they, several of them very clearly, look bothered by it.

No matter, that is half the point. She wants them to remember that she's not a doll they can place in a dollhouse to keep safe and "happy".

Alive doesn't always mean happy.

"Wish I could stay and discuss this further with you," She doesn't, and it's clear in her expression, but her tone is bland and bored. "But I have somewhere to be."

"With Ibiki?" Shikaku clarifies, because she's not the only one that's noticed, but he doesn't sound like he's going to stop her from going. He hadn't been very vocal against her in this argument, more of a middle man, so she doesn't bite his head off when she says, "Yes. I don't know if I'll be home for dinner."

It's dismissive, and not halfway as disturbing to them as she spitefully knows the next part will be, "Maybe I'll eat with Ibiki."

It has all sorts of connotation, the way she speaks his name most of all. She's implying many things, and she's well aware she might get stalkers out of this, but it's worth it, this once.

Ibiki won't mind, she hopes, it had been his idea to have tea with her to mess with everyone, last time.


	15. Shikako Nara, Three

**A/N: So shipping in Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen is now a Thing. I got this little idea, too, from the forum "We're all just Dreaming of Sunshine", which is a very fun read. I hope much of the ideas written there get written up as fanfics on here, because they're all awesome.**

* * *

Kankuro doesn't think she'll accept, when he asks her, because the last time had ended poorly, so when she does, he's surprised, but he rolls with it. He wants her to enjoy herself, he always does in these settings, and this time they're in a safer area and she isn't chakra exhausted, as far as he is aware. She looks fine, and he can't have been the only one to consider past happenings.

Shikako nods, though, when he offers to keep her company until the show begins, and she mentions that she hadn't had any plans before now.

It's a perfect setting, really, for him to blabber her ears off about what they'll be seeing. He knows this stuff, he's a big fan, and there are few pleasures as great as converting others into fans, too. The bonus is that she's a friend, to him and the rest of his siblings. And she's well connected, so if she enjoys herself, she might even bring others along next time. Spread the enjoyment and ensure that the show never ends. A real fan keeps it going in any way they can.

Also, as the possibly real reason he's wandering around with her, he likes her. She's interesting and strong. Her ties are nothing compared to what she can do, what he's seen her do.

Not that he's going to treat her any differently, it's fun to poke at her and see her react. He already knows she thinks of him as something, or she wouldn't have responded so well, conversing with him in such a friendly matter. It might not be as close as she seems to be with his brother, but he's not going to push it.


	16. Shikako Nara, Four

**A/N: I am definitely not doing what anyone thinks I am doing. That said, it had to be done and it's entirely the fault of lilyoftheval5 with their comment on that "We're all Dreaming of Sunshine" forum's shipping thread, for the fanfic Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen.**

* * *

Shikako finally looks up from her work with a hint of triumph, "It's ready. This should fix it."

Her partner eyes her in a mix of reluctance and disagreement, "It's fine the way it is, we shouldn't break what already works."

"There's this saying. Don't fix what isn't broken. But, Madara, I'm telling you, it's broken, and it could be so much better," She argues, lifting the paper with the seal to show him. "This'll make everything easier. Don't you want to be able to work up a sweat, to build muscles and get stronger? Or would you prefer being kicked into two by Lee? Because I can arrange that. Besides, if we do this now, you'll be the first of you to get this done, and you can get a head-start against the others."

They're both well aware that she can bring up a lot more points to back up her argument, like she has several times before, and Madara relents with half a sulk, half a smirk. The last part usually turned him around whenever he had second doubts, and she knew it. Considering that blasted Tobirama was one of "the others", it would always work on him.

And there was the bonus of the "horse" he'd chosen to bet on being the first to figure out how to "fix" them. Rubbing that into the faces of everyone else was going to work well.

Not to mention that she'd feel obligated to check up on him often and he could pull her ties with the Uchiha clan closer until she was standing by their side. The Uchiha would do well with her intellect.

The fact that said intellect was currently of common use against him had nothing to do with it.


	17. Shikako Nara, Five

**A/N: Oh shit, this is also definitely a thing, now. Another for Madara, because of the shipping thread. Y'all should know which one I'm talking of now. As a reminder, this is for Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen. And this time I am also blaming ByeByeBriar for the comment of Madara ships and Blank Space.**

* * *

She's clever, he'll give her that. And powerful. In more than one way. His curiosity is fueled, and he watches her. She does well. Better, in some situations, than most others. He can find respect for that.

It's easiest to watch her by her side, so that's where he finds himself rather often. He learns more about Nara Shikako than he would have, otherwise. More than he had when he had first heard of her, and by then she'd gathered a list of achievements that were spoken of in very enlarging circles. He had thought of offering her a place by his side, and a place on their side of the fight was offered to her at least once, that he is aware of, but she hadn't seemed at all interested in the very thought.

And then they are beaten, but still around. Still capable of being integrated into their society.

He finds himself by her side more often than not, and he learns.

Uchiha Madara is very capable of charm, despite any knowledge of any insanity he may have problems with. It's a common mistake, to underestimate that, and is easy to fix. He was once, after all, the best friend of Senju Hashirama. That counted for something. And for Hashirama, it still did.

Some time is needed, but patience is an important Shinobi trait that he is capable of utilizing. When the day arrives, he takes her offer of a seal to be her reaching out his hand, and he takes it and holds onto it, showing her a possible future if she'll just let him keep holding her hand.


	18. Shikako Nara, Six

**A/N: This one wasn't shippy, but there was just this thought, and I had to try writing the thought out. Wish I could continue this into a longer story, but I'm best with one-shot omakes. Belongs to Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen.**

* * *

In some worlds, Nara Shikako exists in Team 7, doing her best to help Naruto and Sasuke and praying they can make it out of all the horror that is to come. In some worlds, she is a civillian, incapable of doing anything more than what she has until then. And in some worlds, she lives such a short life, there's nothing she can do.

But in other worlds, she is born later, or earlier, than as the twin to Nara Shikamaru. Later, she is born to a world she does and does not know, familiar with some things and completely unknowing of others. But. Earlier, she is born as the twin to Nara Shikaku, and in those worlds, she sways between the choice to change things, to save all those people and possibly ruin the existance of many others, or to let it all go as planned, and watch them pass to another world, knowing she could have at least tried.

In most of these worlds, she only remembers a former life of a world not filled with ninja, but in this one, she remembers one after that, but before this life.

And Nara Shikako is born for the second time, with that very name, on the 15th of July.

It takes time, to understand that she hasn't simply returned in time to when she can once again walk the same path as Team 7. Shikaku is so similar to what Shikamaru had been. It is only the difference she comes to know in parents, that brings to light the truth.

She does not immediately know what she must do, it takes growing into this life, to worried parents and a twin so lazy, but also so willing to love her just as much as the last time. At least this time she does not keep them awake, constantly screaming, like she had once before. Now she knows, and though she is upset at the thought that she has to do it all over again, she still has one part of that family with her, and with time, might get to see the rest of it, again.

She loves her father so deeply, she knows what kind of man he will be, she remembers him alive and strong and well, and she dares to love him still, despite the difficulties she has with seeing him as a brother, when she knows who he will become.

At the same time, it is much too easy to see him as another person, because he is just a little boy, growing up. This child hasn't learned from his mistakes. He will, but it will be different, because now she is there, too.

It's not like she has a choice but to learn to love this time. She can't go back to the future she knows, and that will be okay.

She wants to try to make everything better for them without ruining the hope of a good future.


	19. Shikako Nara, Seven

**A/N: There has been a lot of comments in the forum " _We're all just Dreaming of Sunshine_ " about Shikako (of _Dreaming of Sunshine_ by _Silver Queen_ ) being reincarnated over and over again, so I thought I would play around a little with that idea.**

* * *

She does not remember much of her life before she is Shikako Nara, but she never forgets being Shikako Nara.

Not when she is reborn right after, and placed into the arms of a man with short hair and a mustache, who carried her over to the arms of a woman with a smile that held nothing but love. Though now named Rose, she calls herself Shikako in her mind, but struggles to remember most of the language, a new one forcing itself in where it had once been. English again. She knows it, so she chooses to focus on remembering her past one. If she's lucky, or if she's not, Japanese exists in this world and is mostly the same, if not completely.

She still remembers being Shikako, when she dies young, protecting a much younger sister, from a madman. And she still remembers being Shikako when she wakes up once more, in the arms of another set of parents. She remembers being Shikako, when this life, too, fades into a new one, but she does not remember much from her life as Rose. She remembers English more vividly, and much about the world she'd lived in with two sisters. She remembers being clever, but she also remember that she'd died, and that nothing truly stood out in that life but her death. She wanted to say that that was untrue, that she remembered the parents who'd loved her and the siblings who'd looked up to her, but she doesn't. She doesn't remember their names nor how they looked.

She just remembers having been Shikako for a very long time.

It hits her at a life somewhere in what may be up at forty and something, but may also be twice as much because of the lives she has already forgotten, that she remembers more, now.

She remembers being named Hana. She remembers three young and capable friends, she remembers black hair and ice, pink hair and fire, and blonde hair and summoning. It's a little something like Team Seven, but not, at the same time. And maybe that's why she remembers it so dearly, but she's not going to complain. She can't, because it won't fix it. And as long as she isn't forgetting about being Shikako, she doesn't feel like it is something that should be fixed.

She also remembers a lot of trouble, but so much happiness, in that life. She remembers smiling often and dancing, she remembers singing and laughing and drinking. She remembers having fun even with the time spent trying to tune magic into seals. She remembers them taking her hand and dragging her into the light, grinning at her and cheering wildly at speeches from their Master.

She remembers smiling until the very end, of that life. Certain she'll find some way to her brother even if she couldn't use the magic of that life. She doesn't even truly regret not having enough time. It was a life well spent.

There were losses, of course, as there is in most lives, but despite that, she does not look back on that life and try to create some way to return to those people she had left behind there. She is still Shikako first, and the one she wants to reach the most, is still Shikamaru.

When she is reborn in a world filled with water, she merely keeps reaching out. She meets a cheery man who wants to be the leader, who protects his nakama and laughs all the time. She meets his first mate, a man willing to take the pain for him and stubbornly clings onto life with the crew. She meets so many good men and women during this life, that she can't stop herself from helping out a little.

Most of the time, though, she spends as a revolutionary, fighting the marines that does not weed out those who wishes only to help themselves.

Though the wrongs disgusted her, she remembers enjoying the ability to help that pirate with the strawhat, and when she passes to another world, that is all she remembers of it.

Shikako remembers many more lives, when she is reborn as Kaia, and greets the world with weariness. She does not expect much of it.

Until she sees what reminds her of seals.

Alchemy, she learns quickly, is an art capable of many things. Many, many things. And to her, it is another possibility. Tired though she may be, she won't be passing up any chances to fulfill her wish. And this is a chance that, the more she learns, allows her to grow hopeful.


	20. Namie Namikaze, Four

**A/N: I couldn't help myself, I just had to write another one. Though I have one more being written and two others waiting for permission to post here. I think one of them might be a no go, but we'll see.**

 **As a reminder, this is an omake for Laterality by Kettobase, once again focused on that ship I am currently sinking with, Namie and Sakumo.**

* * *

His eyes dart between the two of them for several seconds, but he seems reluctant to ask, and neither of them plan to say anything if he doesn't truly want to know. So when he slowly nods, Namie grins at him, less disarmingly than she'd planned but effectively enough that he excuses himself and leaves the two of them be, for now.

She doubts he'll be back any time soon, and she thinks Sakumo will tell her if he's still listening, because he agrees with her thought of keeping quiet for now, even if the one eavesdropping is his son, so when said man turns back towards her and smiles, she takes that as a green light to continue the conversation where they left off, just with more warmth and caring.

It's easy to care for Sakumo, he's a good - a great - man, and she can't think of any reason to not, other than his death. But her brother is supposed to die, too, and she still loves him. So to protect her heart is not good enough, in this case. Rather, if she wants to protect her heart from his loss, she can only save him, and if she can't, she'd rather feel that loss.

She doesn't know when he was supposed to go, so she is uncertain if it had passed that time and that he was safe... Or that it hadn't. She doesn't take chances with this, and spending time with him is no loss. It's actually enjoyable, and time well spent no matter which way this goes. She has fun. It's a bit like hanging out with her brother, just a bit different.

They'd gotten interrupted a lot, lately, however, and Namie was starting to really wonder about that. They could be doing nothing, just sitting and talking, and suddenly someone would be there, asking what they were doing, how they were, anything that could be thought of. It was strange, and it was getting irritating.

So of course the first thing Namie does when the next interruption, at the very same meal as Kakashi had interrupted them, arrives, is to lash out at said interruption.

"What?" She glowers at Minato, who holds his hands up in what was probably supposed to be an innocent gesture. Hah. Innocent. It is clearly just a facade, and she doesn't let up on her stare.

"I just saw you over here and thought I would say hello," He excuses himself, but it doesn't matter, she knows he is lying, and she'll have none of it.

"You've said hello. Now, don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"You don't want to spend time with me?" He's faking that pout, she just knows it. All to-

"It's alright, Namie-chan, I should go," Sakumo moves to rise, but Namie isn't about to let her brother scare him away, no matter what he thinks or does. So she grins at him, "I'll come with you, I just remembered I have somewhere to be, too. Sorry, Minato, I guess we'll just have to hang out some other time."

She'll have to think up other ways to make it clear to everyone that they won't ruin whatever it is that she has with Sakumo, because she can't stand the thought that she might lose someone she's grown to care so much about for such simple, silly reasons.


	21. Shikako Nara, Eight

**A/N: In "Skimming" by amiability, chapter 4 has Itachi thinking about how things could have been if Shikako (from "Dreaming of Sunshine" by Silver Queen) had been older, so I took the idea and I ran with it. This, uh, actually got longer than I intended it to, too (like 700+ words longer). Oops.**

 **Speaking of, I do not own Naruto. Obviously.**

* * *

The beginning of what she would eventually know to be her new life, was terrifying and all those bad emotions that came with that first one. Nara Shikako began her life screaming, and she would stay that way for some time. She would take time to settle into her new life, and it would worry her parents, Nara Shikaku and Yoshino, she did not know what was being explained for her reactions, at the hospital. She did not understand that it was being decided already then that she would not be suited to be a ninja.

There were moments when she could read their faces, but learning to understand and to read would take time. So she began learning. At nights she would babble, during days she would babble, trying to repeat the words spoken to her. She wanted to be able to understand. She needed to.

She had only managed to speak words, but understand more, the first time she saw the mountain with the faces.

To begin with, when she had realized who her parents were, she had begun to worry that she had replaced Shikamaru. It would be a blessing in that she did not have to hide intelligence, her attempts to stall her advancement so she would not be noticed, would be accepted, because Shikamaru had been a genius. But at the same time, that was a terrifying burden to bear.

She was the heir. She would have to be strong. And she would have to get smarter.

She is so very young, when she sees the mountain. Her crying would be excused because she is just a little child. There could be a ton of reasons for her crying, and no one would immediately jump to the conclusion that it was the three faces carved into a mountain.

All she can think about, is when she must be. Before Namikaze Minato become Hokage. Was she stuck in the Third War? Would she grow up into that? What could she even do? What about-

Well, there was one thing she knew for certain.

Shikako would have to grow strong, if only to protect the parents she had grown to love so. And, as it seemed she had been born before Shikamaru's time, she would have more time to do it. She did not want this Konoha that her parents, and now her, thought of as a home to perish.

Shikako is three when she, for the first time, feels the fear of her incapability overwhelm her. Her tiny feet bring her to the bedroom of her parents, and she knocks softly with an unoccupied hand, the other holding a ball of light to show her way. And when she feels her parents shift to attention, she whispers, "Nightmare."

And that's all she needs to say, for her father to hold a hand out for her to join them.

They say nothing about the display of chakra, despite that she can feel them both being awake. She thinks they may have dismissed her use of chakra as unimportant or perfectly normal, until she turns four, and her mother asks her what she wants to do when she's grown up. Shikako gives her a puzzled look, like it should be obvious by the books she's asked them to help her learn to read with, like it's obvious by the ones she's been dragging to her room practically every day, "Ninja, mom."

Her mother smiles at her and tells her it's fine if she doesn't want to be, and her father walks into the room to stand beside Shikako just in time for the explanation that she is going to become an older sister.

Shikamaru is still going to be born, and Shikako is so relieved, her mother asks if she doesn't want to be the heir to the Nara clan.

Of course she's going to be the heir. How else will she protect her little brother?

Her mother grows larger, and Shikako finds herself often around her to help out, her self-training slowing until all she gets is sessions with her father, who is more often at home now, both just close enough to be aware if something happens to her mother.

September passes through with the birth of Shikamaru and in her excitement, Shikako has forgotten what is to come.

It is just a few week after that, that the worst happens. The Kyuubi attacks while she is in her room, and she stills completely, the chakra in the air suffocating her. Any thought she may have had mere moments before are gone, and where there had once been a fight or flight response, the only one she was capable of giving during that terrifying night is that one of hiding, staying so still so that the predator may not notice you.

In the days after, there is heaviness in the air, of mourning and anger and darkness choking the village. She is near, when the word spreads about Naruto, the child bearing a heavy duty. She is there when the rumors start.

She does not stay long enough for the anger to take over, but she knows it is there, and she swears to never blame a child for the deeds of demons. He is a baby, he could not have done anything to stop that terrifying bijuu that attacked them at the wishes of a man that should have been dead. A man that will continue to attack them in different ways. She can not allow him to get to the village that her family loves so and that she has grown up in.

Shikako is five when she finally convinces her parents to let her enter the Academy. She promises to not try to graduate before she knows she is ready, and she promises to trust them if they say she is not ready.

She is no natural, but she works hard and constantly. Her breaks are for her family and for rest and sustenance. She does not make friends. And then she graduates when she is six. The clan is proud but her parents are worried. She promises them that she is ready, that she will not falter, and that if she ever thinks she might, she will come to them. Her brother just wants to cuddle. Well, mostly he just wants to sleep, but resting with her seems to have become a habit he is unwilling to break.

It is a good thing that Genin begin with D-ranked missions that are mainly done within the village, so that she can return home within the day to see him.

She still fits in a lot of training, because she needs to be incomparably strong. She has gathered much attention, but it was necessary despite all the drawbacks.

With her motivation, she becomes the most spoken of Nara, and she is fully aware of it. But it takes off some of the pressure on the Uchiha, and she thinks that maybe they will have a little more time, now. Maybe Itachi will not break Sasuke on his way out. Maybe Konoha will have a better chance this time. Maybe her family will not lose anyone dear to them.

That is what Shikako wants to protect. The future of her family.

She both does and does not expect to find a kindred soul in Uchiha Itachi, when he enters the Genin force a year after her, just in time to watch her become Chunin.


	22. Shikako Nara, Nine

**A/N: A silly Counting Sinful Stars thought that writing "don't you dare" to me about a Shikako and Obito pairing would stop me. I'm smug to say that it only helped me want to write it more. Another Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen fanfic. Speaking of, there's a new chapter out and it makes me want to go write Shikako and Kakashi... :D**

* * *

Shoulders tense, her eyes does not leave his form. She knows better than to look him in the eye without the use of jutsu, but she also doesn't dare look away from his form. Shikako has seen what this man can do, she remembers many things about it, and she had thought she'd have more time, she'd hoped for it. But she'd been wrong, and now she would just have to do something about that.

Specifically, however, she hadn't expected this part to be changed so much from what she'd remembered, but that had seemed like an excellent thing until this very moment.

She hears Madara sigh, and watches an arm move up, and while she takes that chance to apply the shadowband around her eyes, he... Removes his mask?

Eyes widening, she finally looks up, and the world tilts seventy-five degrees to the right.

She had been wrong about that, too. This was not Madara in front of her. It was not the smug man that had outlived the first Hokage. How had she missed this?

It's like she can hear her heartbeat raise the tempo and she tries to say something - he is clearly waiting for her to do so - but to begin with, nothing comes to mind. After all, there's not much you can say to someone that everyone believed to be dead. Congratulations on surviving would point out that most of those he'd known hadn't. It'd be rude and she wasn't sure of how he would react.

The orange mask, had that been him all this time?

Had he been the one to release Kurama from Kushina?

"You're Obito, aren't you?" Shikako speaks slowly, trying to not enrage him and at the same time trying to stall him, from whatever it is that he chose to come here for, until people would come looking for her. She'd been away for a while longer than necessary, now.

He looks like he might be amused, and then he doesn't, but he nods once in response to her question.

Well, then. This was going to be rather..."Troublesome," She reluctantly complains.


	23. Namie Namikaze, Five

**A/N: 10th Squad 3rd Seat (a faithful reviewer) requested I write a POV from those who interrupted Namie and Sakumo in one of my previous Namie snippets (and as a reminder, Namie is from Laterality by Kettobase, an excellent fanfic), so I figured I'd oblige.**

* * *

Kakashi's habit of watching them is sporadic, but also one he enjoys. Not because he has theories, however. The theories may have prompted him to, anyway, but that was not what had caused this habit of his.

No, this habit had begun on a warm day, on his way to report upon a completed mission.

He had been walking through one of the main streets of Konoha, and he had heard a sound that had caused him to still right where he was, and his breath to catch. It had been a sound that had had him flashing back to older memories, when times had been lighter, and the people of Konoha had not detested his last name so, for whom it belonged to.

It had been the sound of a laugh from the person that was most important to him.

His eyes had trailed towards where he'd heard the sound, and he'd watched his father smile at his former teammate, like all was well in the world. It was a sight he had missed.

His father tries, Kakashi knows, to do his best to make everything seem just fine. He tries his hardest not to worry Kakashi.

But Kakashi worries anyway.

He hadn't disturbed them, then, because he hadn't wanted for that smile to fade. But he had begun searching for them, when he knew his father was out. Because he wanted to hear that laugh again.

And Namie is the only reason his father ever leaves their home on his own, if he can help it.

Kakashi quickly finds himself curious, of course. He enjoys knowledge and knowledge that brightened up his father was something to be treasured. So he kept up his habit, and found himself using every excuse he could capably think of to get close enough to listen for that knowledge.

It is frustrating, though, because there seems to be no clear clue as to what he wants to know. How will he learn if they will not teach him? This is knowledge important to him, surely they realize that?

He sees a chance to understand, when his father laughs and pats her hand, and he reveals himself.

"What are you doing?"

That sounded only half like what he was asking, but surely his father and former teammate knows him well enough to understand what he needs to know?

Luck did not seem to be on his side, however, as he got the usual casual response of friendly banter and the likes. Namie does seem to have changed up her reason for staying with his father, but he is wary of asking her to clarify, remembering rather vividly those two months of 'baby-missions' their team had gone through. And the first C-rank.

Some things were just better to learn on your own, but that didn't mean he wouldn't listen in the next time he found them, too.

* * *

Minato has only recently discovered Namie's choice of spending time with Hatake Sakumo, and he half approves, half doesn't.

To begin with, Sakumo-san is the father of her former teammate, and not a bad man. He walks around with head held high, even if most of Konoha frowns upon the sight of him. He walks with his dogs and his son and he still cares about those closest to him. He is obviously someone worth having as a friend. But just as a friend, and some of the times he has seen them sit together, he has found himself frowning.

Kushina would've said that it's jealousy, he thinks, but that was fine. Jealousy would be a good excuse to interrupt them, unlike if he had merely been overbearing. Yes, it is perfectly fine to wander over to their table and cheerfully greet his sister - and Sakumo-san, he supposes.

His sister glowers at him, grumbling out a, "What?" And Minato raises his hands in hopes of keeping the peace long enough to pry about this little meeting. He smiles and tells her, "I just saw you over here and thought I'd say hello."

It was in part true, of course, it was just that he was omitting a few details that he felt she did not need to hear. In safety of his shin, because she was dangerously close enough to kick him. And because he thought that if she knew his original thoughts, she may never confide in him about this matter.

As it is, she still seems doubtful, "You've said hello. Now, don't you have somewhere else to be?"

It's no good, he can't let that go. She's too evasive.

"You don't want to spend time with me?" He pushes with a pout, sure that she will fold and let him sit with them. Except he appears to be wrong, because her response is a glare, interrupted by Sakumo-san.

"It's alright, Namie-chan," And Minato frowns at that, but doesn't interrupt him- "I should go."

Sakumo-san rises, and Namie turns her glare from Minato to grin at the older man, "I'll come with you, I just remembered I have somewhere to be, too. Sorry Minato," Minato doesn't think she sounds like it. "I guess we'll just have to hang out some other time."

Sulking, he is left there, but he is also already planning how to do this better, the next time.


	24. Fune Hatake, One

**A/N: A guest made the request that I write something for "The Lotus and The Clover" by Our Brightest Stars, so here's that thing. Also, happy birthday to Our Brightest Stars! May it be an excellent day!**

* * *

Fune considers what she has learned until now, as she watches Dog-man. She is a child. Dog-man cares for her. She hasn't known the teenager for very long, but he watches over her. Like a guardian. He does his best to feed her. Like a caretaker. He lets her take off his mask. Like a brother. He comforts her. Like a parent. He was her superhero, and she'd learned to trust him. He seemed to want what was best for her and had not yet, as far as she knew, protested the care others had given her.

Where other men might have been more prideful and thought they could do it all on their own, he seemed more in between of that and letting everyone help. It was like he was grateful for what he got. The surprise party had been proof of that.

He tries so hard, and it is clear to her that he cares.

And Fune can't call him Dog-man forever. She'll have to speak eventually, and she'll have to call him something.

She thinks about her daddy-issues. She won't call him father, still. He acts it good enough to fit within the parameters of the title. So how does she compromise? And then she thinks to that child at the funeral, that had called his mother 'kaa-chan. She wonders if that's an acceptable word to use for him. It's not like she even knows their word for father, anyway.

'Kaa-chan isn't it, since it was said to a woman, she thinks. But maybe that word means parent. It's not like she can be sure for a long while, if she takes into consideration the amount of time she's been here and the uncertainty of every word until she has tried them and seen how they are reacted to. This is how she has learned every word until now.

The opportunity presents itself on a silver platter at another attempt of visiting the park. Specifically, it presented itself in the boredom of not seeing anything worth doing that wouldn't have other children following her lead and hurting themselves. Again.

So Fune turns back to Dog-man instead of wandering onto the playground as she suspects he'd wanted her to and raises her arms up, "No, 'kaa-chan."


	25. Wakana Hatake, One

**A/N: I have this fascination with the fic "Kakashi's Kid" by Silimaira. Wakana is great, really, and it's a lot of fun to read about her and her brother. So yeah, I got permission to put this little thing here, for that, and actually there was a bit of back and forth messaging so this got better than it used to be between sending it in a review and posting it now, too.**

 **I'm just going to name Silimaira as the Beta, because, well, that's really what it was.**

 **Hope ya'll enjoy their fic, and this omake for it, as much as I do. Join us as the world falls pray to the- Err, well, you know the drill.  
**

* * *

"You promised!"

It makes her smile to hear him shout that, and, "You remembered," she calls back. He looks almost insulted to hear that - no, actually, he really does look insulted. But it seems to fade quickly to give room for what she can only call fear.

"Stupid," he insults her, but he sounds so scared, that she doesn't take offense. And they're siblings, they're allowed to insult each other like that, anyway, so it doesn't matter in the slightest. "Of course I remembered, how could I forget? You didn't forget, did you? Your promise?"

His need to clarify is actually more insulting than any other possible insults, because it laughs in her face and tells her she's been a horrible sister, way worse than Itachi had been in the original world, no matter what he would have said to defend himself. There are some things you just don't do to your siblings regardless of how much it might protect them, and forcing them to watch their family get murdered over and over again is one of those things. She wouldn't be that sibling. She couldn't hurt him that way, too. She'd done enough already.

"Relax, just sit tight and wait there for me, okay? I'll be home before you know it."

He didn't look too convinced but with the situation as it was, it wasn't as if he could just grab her hand and drag her along back home. For that matter, it wasn't all that safe for her, either, without some major explaining. Who knew what could happen if she wandered back into Konoha and the wrong people spotted her first. Technically, she'd left. Maybe she hadn't meant for it to happen that way, but all the same.

...So maybe it was for the best, that she took a leaf out of Itachi's book of breaking promises to a sibling when it came to spending time with them. She'd already done it with other situations that Itachi'd been supposed to go through instead of her, so this last thing was another one she didn't mind following through.

She wasn't scared of death, anyhow- she'd already been proven that there was life after. Intricate sealing work for a teenager did, surprisingly, very good work, so everyone else would be safe enough to fix the rest. And maybe she'd get to live in this world again, next life. It was a possibility she could hope for.

But oh, if it wouldn't be weird to be a little kid in the company of adults she'd seen as children, though... She might struggle with that.

"Wakana!" A second, deeper voice joined her brother's. She paused. Her father had never once sounded worse to her. She wasn't going to stop what she was doing now, though, it was too late. And even if it wasn't, it was a small price to pay. Not half as searing a price as the terror she heard in the voice of the man she'd wanted to impress the most.

He was probably going to blame himself a lot, he had that problem. He'd have to snap out of it for 'Kato's sake, however, or she was gonna haunt him for all of eternity.


	26. Wakana Hatake, Two

**A/N: Another snippet for Kakashi's Kid by Silimaira. This one was requested by Fallen's child, and I thought - might as well try, right? Couldn't hurt, and didn't. At least not me, anyway. 8D I think I really like doing Kakashi, actually. I'll have to do that more often. Like for DoS maybe.**

* * *

"You promised!" Kakashi hears his son shout, but it's muddled through the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.

He sees her smile, but it's nothing like what it used to be. Her response sounds very much delighted, but there's regret in it, too. And that scares Kakashi, that he can hear all that is left unsaid.

It used to be a good thing.

Kakashi tries so desperately to reach her, to grab her and take her home and ensure she is safe. Where she belongs, with him and Wakato. In Konoha. And Wakato is trying, too, but even with their shared efforts, they still can't get to her.

His son sounds just as scared as he feels, when he insults his sister and reprimands her for thinking he'd forget - how could any of them? Wakana is supposed to know them, she is supposed to understand just how much she means to them - doesn't she?

Insecurity is something he will not allow to take a hold of him until the entire matter is over and dealt with, but Wakato hasn't learned that lesson yet, he can hear that in his questioning of Wakana having possibly forgotten.

She had made a promise to them. She had laughingly told them that she would be there with them. She had promised to be with them for when Kakashi grows old and useless. She had promised to visit and tease her brother, to go on missions with them and to be the best she could be.

Her response is so typical of what Kakashi can remember from the time she had been his, from the time before she'd left them behind to wonder why.

Why?

Had he not been capable of protecting her from what threats she thought was aimed at her? Did she not have faith in her father?

If he had truly failed that much, he will learn from it. He will ensure that it can never happen again. She will never have to fear for herself again. Kakashi refuses to allow it.

"Wakana!" Kakashi calls out, along with his son, and though he tries to sound stern and disapproving, it does not work out like he had planned. He knows she hears the tremor, the fear he holds for her possible lack of a future, when she pauses.

It's just for a moment, but it's a visible reaction.

And it is enough.

He understands, now, that she does this for them, not to spite them.

He won't let her continue. Neither Kakashi nor her brother will allow her to leave them.


	27. Shikako Nara, Ten

**A/N: I've been writing KakashixShikako today and this isn't the first snippet, but I'm posting it first because the other one is being betaed. :D The prompt for this was given by Counting Sinful Stars in the KakashixShikako thread of the forum mentioned before in A/Ns of DoS snippets. And, though it shouldn't need mentioning by now, this is from Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen.**

 **Also, warning: this deals with character death.**

* * *

It isn't the first time they've been on a mission together, just the two of them, nor is it the first time they've had a mission go very wrong on them. They've survived worse than this, this will be easy enough to get out of. They'll complete the mission and return home, because the alternative is not allowed.

The first rule of team seven is no dying.

Kakashi knows his team, he trusts his team. Shikako is a part of his team and he trusts her. He knows how strong she is and he knows she can protect herself. He stays aware because that's what he does. He's lost many of his team before, he won't lose any more. He'd sworn, that day in Wave, when everything had gone utterly wrong for the first time, that he wouldn't let this team follow the footsteps of the previous.

So far, he'd succeeded in keeping that vow.

He will keep it to the end of time, in however way is necessary. He has their help with it, it won't be too difficult. This team, he can trust to survive, because they are fully aware of how to trust each other to find a different road to walk other than the suicidal one.

Maybe if his sensei had chosen to let others in on how exactly that seal worked, they wouldn't have lost him. Maybe Jiraiya and Kushina could have thought of a way to tweak it. Maybe someone old and already dying could have completed it. Maybe Naruto could have still had a father.

Konoha would have been better off with Minato-sensei as Hokage, he is sure of it.

Later, he will remember these thoughts of trusting his team to keep themselves alive and not sacrifice themselves so easily, and he will kick himself for it.

He'd jinxed himself.

Kakashi had forgotten the one thing that his team would be willing to do in a heartbeat.

Die for each other.

Shikako gets very close to it, that day. Not for the first time, but it is the very first time she takes a blow meant for him, meant to kill him. He doesn't immediately notice how wounded she is, all he sees is that someone hurt her and that someone is still alive.

That is not allowed, and the enemy does not live more than a minute after.

It is only after the last two try to gang up on the wounded Shikako and he sees how incapable she is of ending them both, despite her usual ability of ridding herself of attackers within moments. And as she blows up the closest, he ends the other with barely a thought, before swiftly turning to her.

"Where?"

Where is she hurt? How bad is it? Can she move?

Shikako grimaces and shows him, and it feels like his heart skips a beat as he realizes how very close the wound is to what he knows would be fatal. She won't be moving anytime soon on her own, and he shifts, trying to figure out how to get them to safety without jostling her too much and worsening the damage.

The situation isn't looking good.

Kakashi has to compromise, when she passes out, and sends his three quickest summon to the three nearest outposts, praying that at least one of them has a competent medic nin that can save her, before cautiously picking her up and slowly moving towards somewhere with more cover and where he can set enough traps to end an army.

He tells himself that if she survives, he'll never reject another challenge from Gai, he'll stop teasing Tenzo, he'll pay for Naruto's ramen, he'll teach Sasuke every technique he has ever copied and he'll arrive on time for every dinner Shikako invites him to. He'll even stop constantly reading porn in public and he'll stop wearing his mask.

She had woken long enough to smile at hearing his ridiculous promises. Though, that may have also been because he had promised her to be the first to see his face, if she survived.

But she'd grown weak quickly and he'd panicked and let her see it anyway, saying that it was fine if she wanted to be the only one to see it, to tease everyone with knowing what was behind his mask. She would have to live to be able to do so, and he could accept that outcome.

The medic nin arrives too late, and despite how out of character his promises and pleas are, he would still have chosen to become an entirely different person than to have her die in his arms.


	28. Shikako Nara, Eleven

**A/N: I did another thing for the KakashixShikako pairing. 8) Look, look, this time I'm being nice! And as usual, this is DoS by Silver Queen.**

* * *

"Shikako! Sensei!" Naruto cheerily greets them, joining them by the table. "Found you. What're you doing all the way here? Ichiraku's way better!"

Sasuke, not far behind, scoffs at him but turns a questioning look at the duo that they had seemingly been looking for.

"Ma, we can't all live on ramen for eternity, Naruto, we're not bottomless pits," Kakashi excuses them without actually explaining why they're here. Shikako can admire that sort of evasiveness when it's not being used on her. It also deserves the snort it gets from Sasuke, simply for the vague insult aimed at the only blond in their team. Or at his food of choice, or both, if the horror on Narutos face is any indication.

"Oi, ramen is the food of the Gods!"

"You didn't say what the two of you are doing," Sasuke interrupts, no doubt as perfectly aware as Shikako, that that argument will just go on forever, if they let it. Best to end it before it grows too big.

Luckily, Naruto does drop it to squint at them. Unluckily, it also gives him _ideas_ , "Are you on a date?"

Neither of them reply to that. One, because, well, technically... And two, because Shikako, much like Kakashi seems to be, is incapable of thinking up a good answer to that that will not only never bring up that line of thought anywhere near anyone else, ever, but also one that will ensure the other two leave them be to their awkwardness.

There's a moment of complete silence, before Sasuke utters a deadpan, "What."

"I need a nap," Shikako decides, taking the Nara way out of their current situation. She drops her head onto Kakashi's shoulder and closes her eyes, aware of the tensing he does but perfectly willing to ignore it.

* * *

 **A/N: Speaking of (pun fully intended), Hichiisai wrote a little add-on for my previous snippet, and I've been allowed to add it onto here for the goodness of your poor little hearts. xD**

* * *

Shikako died two more times on the way to Konoha. Each time the medic nins poured more chakra into her to bring her back. Kakashi could only watch helplessly as they struggled to keep her stable. Eventually they made it to Konoha and Shikako was rushed to the hospital. Kakashi ignored the nurses trying to send him out, instead sticking himself on the ceiling to watch until Tsunade finally threw him physically out into the waiting room.

Hours passed, though to Kakashi it felt more like decades. He forced himself not to crowd the Hokage when she finally emerged from surgery room.

"Oh calm down brat, she's going to be fine. Although it's probably be a good idea to give your student a few remedial lessons on not taking mortal blows when I'm not in the vicinity."

Kakashi's shoulders slumped in relief and he tailed behind the nurses moving Shikako to a room. The wall would make a good resting spot until his injured student awoke.


	29. Shikako Nara, Twelve

**A/N: I did another thing, but didn't bother asking for a beta. I'm lazy like that. Also, wanted the maximum effect of this ending to show. So. Enjoy another snippet from the impressive Silver Queen's fic "Dreaming of Sunshine". And yes, I am a horrible person this time too. ;)**

* * *

In the beginning, they hadn't understood his compulsive need to spend so much time by the stone.

They'd understood that he had lost people and that he was still mourning - if there was anyone who understood, it was Sasuke, and Shikako had always accepted it and prayed she never would, but she still remembered the genjutsu of watching so many people die, and Naruto had not had a lot of people to begin with, he'd constantly done his hardest to earn his loved ones and had his world shatter piece by piece as they died on him - but they hadn't felt the same need to stand there and stare at the names carved on the stone for hours and hours.

As they'd grown older, they'd accepted it more and more, because they understood that Kakashi had lost so many throughout time, he'd not learned to let go yet.

Shikako had once mentioned to her other two teammates that their sensei just needed to come to terms with the past, that they had to let him look to the future on his own, because he was already heading down their way, catching up with them. They just needed to give him time and be who they would always be, with each other.

Kakashi would catch up, she promised. He would be late, but he'd be there, and that was what counted.

Sasuke had thought he understood, but at the same time didn't, because how could Kakashi be standing there when the murderers of his loved ones were still at large? Or had he already gotten his revenge? Did he stand there, now, because he had nothing left to fight for?

Shikako had debunked that thought, too, because Kakashi has them. He has Gai. ANBU. Friends. Konoha. He's not alone.

So Sasuke had been forced to admit that he didn't understand. He wouldn't. Couldn't. Naruto and Shikako would never let him fall that far down. They swore it up and down.

Naruto had also promised that when Kakashi caught up, they'd never let him fall behind again. Sasuke had accepted that and Shikako had smiled at him. And they'd left that discussion as an unnecessary one, because Kakashi would catch up, and they'd be whole and happy and none of them would ever be alone.

Sai and Tenzo gets pulled in and team seven teaches them the way they work, they teach them how to smile and feel like it's true. They show them what a team is, and they include them into theirs. They start to belong.

Then a war breaks out and they're fighting so desperately to protect everyone, they're guarding each others back and praying they won't be separated.

The team is split in half. Naruto and Sasuke and Tenzo, and Sai and Shikako and Kakashi. Somehow, it makes perfect sense in strength. Maybe not as much in tactics, but the latter trio is the shadow for the former, and they make it work.

It would have continued to work so perfectly, they could have won the war for Konoha just like that, but on one of the runs, something goes wrong. They're caught in a trap, and it's like they were expected there at that moment, and Shikako and Kakashi seems to reach that conclusion at the same time, because they're both reaching for Sai to get him and themselves out of there, to warn Naruto, Sasuke and Tenzo to abort the mission, or at least to retreat to safety.

Kakashi takes Sai, but they're halfway to the meeting place when the enemy starts catching up. Shikako can sense them nearing, so she tells Kakashi she's going to set some traps and then she'll catch up. He pauses, torn between ensuring her safety and running ahead with Sai, who needs medical attention.

He relents when she points out that she's not half good enough to do anything for Sai and that if they want him capable of continuing doing missions, he has to go right now, but they can't let the enemy catch them. And hasn't he seen what she could do with seals already?

Shikako mentions nothing about the amount of the enemy nearing, though she thinks that if he doesn't go now, he'll sense it, himself.

So she's extremely thankful when he does leave. Not as much when he also leaves two summons behind to guard her back. Can summon die? She settles for hoping they can't or that they're smart enough to return if it gets that bad, because there's no time to debate that thought right now, just time to calculate how to do the most damage to the enemy.

The results are seen and heard wide and far, but when two wounded dog summons arrive, panting for breath, with a body slung over one of them, none of that matters to team seven.

All that matters from then on, is that name carved onto that memorial stone. Kakashi no longer stands alone for those long hours of silence.


	30. Shikako Nara, Thirteen

**A/N: A continuation thing for the previous snippet for DoS because I wanted to try something new - the POV of someone not often mentioned. I probably did horribly, but it was fun to write, so I'm throwing this out there, anyway. On the plus side, I'm only half as horrible this time. Probably.**

* * *

Many thought it amusing that like Hatake Kakashi, his team was often very late. Most would find it outrageous and a nuisance.

Few know why he is constantly late, barely anyone knows why it has become so contagious. Most don't care to even try to find out. It's just another of those ninja quirks that shouldn't exist. Someone ought to teach those ninja not to be so damn rude, one civilian huffs, when he hears of how the team had kept the Hokage waiting for an hour - one of those truthful rumors, it appeared - where he had been forced to wait two hours for a moment of the administration's time.

Not a single civilian speaks up to defend the habit, not a single civilian in that surrounding seems to be aware of what they even do during that time.

Several likes to speculate that they're genuinely lazy or simply forgetful, but those ideas are laughed out of the room like nobody's business. Most figure they're busy helping someone somewhere.

A few scorned usually snort and say they're probably just doing it on purpose to show who's the strong ones around here, to tell them to deal with it because the ninja protect the civilians and they'd never survive without them and their quirks.

When the rumors reach the ramen restaurant titled Ichiraku's, the owner and his daughter can only smile sadly at the reminder of what has been lost.

They remember a blond little boy dragging other children to them to have "the best food in the world" and they remember one of those being a very smart, and polite, young girl. They remember how she often appears by his side, and how quickly a habit is set where the trio that became team seven - and many times also their sensei - stop by. They remember them dragging others there to learn more.

And then they remember when Nara Shikako stopped coming by.

They remember the day when Naruto and Sasuke trudges in, shoulders slumped, just a few hours after the news has spread across the streets of Konoha. They remember silently serving them, they remember the sensei arriving and they remember the three leaving half-eaten ramen behind as they leave, clothed in black.

They also remember that when everyone slowly began leaving, after the funeral, team seven - with all five of their left behind members - stayed behind.

Team seven is no longer whole, and though they won't tell anyone that may think to ask them, the two running Ichiraku's will never talk about the team that still visits the one that was gone. Many would just wonder why they haven't moved on, yet.

It's impolite to talk of those long gone as if they no longer matter.


	31. Shikako Nara, Fourteen

**A/N: Thanks to Calimora and Mi** **steriosaSaky** **for the ideas of this on the usual thread/forum. Another KakashixShikako thing from DoS (by Silver Queen).**

* * *

Shikako ducks her head and turns the other way around. She doesn't care the slightest how silly it makes her look, how weird she must seem turning straight around and walking the direction she'd been coming from, because if it helps her avoid the insanity bounding about right now, she's all for looking weird and silly.

She's so busy running from the incoming chakra signatures and keeping a high alert on any of the others that had clearly been dropped on their heads as babies to do anything but dodge passerby's, so of course it takes a few teasing calls of 'oi sparky's and the likes to get her attention, but when she sees who it is, she's relieved that they noticed her. Who would be better to hide with than Shinobi of Sand when running from several of Leaf?

Well, it's not _really_ going to help her, but on the plus side, while hiding with them she's sure to not be prodded at about her love life. Or what appears to be her love life.

As far as she's aware, she's not with someone or crushing on someone. And while that would mean no one else being aware of it too, several of her fellow Leaf Shinobi, and a few others, have made comments of otherwise. And long rants about it.

-.-.-.-.-.-

It had confused her when Zabuza on a visit from Mist, had told her - them, actually, but she wasn't too worried about sensei, considering he covered so much up - to be careful to not get arrested for exhibitionism or something. Where would he get that idea? She was dressed decently, wasn't she? And then Kakashi-sensei had glowered at him. And Haku had laughed for a second, before apologizing for it.

Shikako didn't understand any of it.

When she told the rest of her team about it - they don't think she wears too little, do they? - there's a moment of silence and Sasuke starts glaring at something in the distance while Naruto looks to be going through something horrific. Sai looks like she's told him when the stores open. Like he doesn't understand what this has to do with anything. And for all that she thinks she can understand her team if only for how long they've stuck together now, Yamato's face is indescribable at that moment.

None of them actually help her understand.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She gets maybe an hour of peace with Kankuro before Pakkun hunts her down and starts talking about sensei. And hurting him. And what will happen to her if she does.

The confusion clears and she finds herself suddenly wishing that it hadn't.

Kankuro's musings of this being almost as great as that famous puppet play they'd seen in Grass doesn't help. His poking about what theme it would be, if it'd be a love story or a tragedy or even a comedy, just made it worse.

She's pretty sure she's not dating Kakashi-sensei. She's not sure she wants to know where Pakkun got that idea from. Or if Kakashi-sensei knows about this rumor that seems to be going around. Or if she wants him to know.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She should have expected Ino to know about this, especially if it's a rumor going around, but when she sees the flower shop while now also hiding from Kankuro, she decides on a tactical retreat and hurries within before the thought can form in her head.

It's just her luck that Ino perks up with a familiar grin on her face the moment Shikako is spotted.

"Shikako," Ino greets her, and she finds herself wanting to turn right around and leave again, but an arm is placed around her shoulders and a smiling Inoichi is practically dragging her further into the shop, leaving the option of escape abandoned outside.


	32. Shikako Nara, Fifteen

**A/N: The final edited version of the chapter betaed with additions by Hichiisai who is a gem for bothering to do that for me despite having very little time for most things. And because I like to do this properly: this is a little thing for Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen who is a genius.**

* * *

Shikako is watching Naruto try to teach Konohamaru something when Sasuke arrives. He takes one look at the duo before raising an eyebrow at her. Shikako shakes her head at his silent inquiry, "You don't want to know."

She didn't want to know either, but she'd conveniently - or not - been there when Konohamaru had approached her teammate.

Sasuke considers it for a moment but another look at the two cheerful boys –well one boy and one man- seems to do it, "You'll want to go by the hospital today. Sensei over did it again."

That has her frowning and Sasuke seems to know what she's about to ask before she even asks it, "He's allowed visitors because Tsunade-sama figures being scolded enough might make him start listening. She threatened to take him off missions completely if he leaves the bed, so he'll be there when you go."

That... explained a lot. Why hadn't anyone thought to do this before? It wasn't like Kakashi-sensei's habit of chakra exhaustion was that relatively new.

Then again it hadn't been the worst ever, so he's no doubt managed to hit an all-time-low this time.

Shikako smiles at Sasuke, "Thanks for letting me know. I'll go by after this."

He nods and that's that. Naruto comes running over then, grinning at them.

"Are you done?" Shikako asks.

She follows along as he leads the way - no doubt heading for Ichiraku's - with Sasuke rolling his eyes but wandering after them all the same.

As she chats with her team over ramen, Shikako thinks about what to bring for sensei. Multi-tasking has always been her thing, so it's not difficult to interject a few comments here and there while listening to whatever Naruto or Sasuke has to say about what they've been up to since the team last got together.

After she waves goodbye to them a little later she picks up a small bouquet with gladioli and magnolias - for strength of character and dignity. It's half because it fits the image he so clearly wants to give off and half because putting together those she truly thinks would be him within would be a breech of privacy. Kakashi likes his privacy, she knows, and would rather be able to choose who to lower those walls around on his own.

She still hopes he'll like the romance novel she's brought along, if not the flowers. He must be getting bored, stuck as he is.

Shikako is proven correct when she pauses by the receptionist to ask for his room number and gets a pleaded, "He's your sensei? Please, just get him to stop challenging Maito-san to do things in the hospital. It's disturbing the other patients and doctors," before being given the room number.

Now half curious and half worried about what they've come up with, she keeps herself aware of her surroundings just to ensure she isn't startled by a passing Green Beast of Konoha. And possibly a bed with her sensei in it since Sasuke had told her he was confined to said bed by the Hokage herself.

There are some things you don't expect to see in a hospital. One of them is a pair of ninja doing outrageous challenges, the other is one of them lifting the bed the other is in while heading towards the window.

"Sensei? Gai-san?" Shikako frowns at them, crossing her arms. "Is this something I should be talking to Tsunade-sama about?"

"You're no longer my favorite genin," Kakashi informs her as Gai returns the bed to the floor.

"I'm no longer a genin, period," she says. She takes this as giving in though and sets the flowers on the bedside table that stood by the floor where her sensei's bed should have been. "I can live with that."

The two members of team seven - because it didn't matter if they were no longer registered as that, they'd always be team seven - were left to themselves by an energetic Gai promising to be back later or he'd run up and down the Hokage mountain a thousand times on his thumbs.

Kakashi gives her a look and Shikako grins in return, retrieving the novel from her pouch and handing it over. "Thought you might get bored, so I brought this."

He accepts it, turning it around to read the short summary on the back. "Thank you. You can keep the favorite student placing, for now."

"So, chakra exhaustion?" Shikako makes it sound like it's nothing special, but he throws her one of those disbelieving looks anyway. "Think you're getting old? Getting grey hair and back pains?"

"Oi! The hair is silver," He protests flatly, dropping the book on the bed. "And I'm not that old."

That's better. They both know she doesn't mean a single bit of the teasing about his age - it's just another way to remind him to be careful. Despite his declarations that he no longer has anything to teach them and that they don't need to call him sensei anymore, he'll always be their sensei and they'll always look up to him.

Sort of. The perverted and lazy habits aren't things looked up to, but Kakashi was the one to teach them how important a team is. They'd always regard him highly, if only for that and his protective tendencies. He has a lot of those.

Not that it was something unexpected. Team seven had the most incredible luck at times. His habit of trying to protect them was a justified one.

As it was, some were surprised by just how much Kakashi trusts his former genin despite the shit they get in. Shikako knows she sure is. When she properly considers it though, she can understand just how emotionally tied together the team has become. It's no wonder he lets them in now.

They've proven that they're worth it.

"I don't know," she continues with a smirk, reaching out to place a hand on his forehead. "They say the first thing to go when you grow old is the memory and you've been forgetting how to take proper care of yourself fairly often. I think you may even have a fever. For shame sensei."

He glowers at her but doesn't try to resist. There's not much he can do without leaving and Tsunade-sama will have his head if he tries that. "I don't have a fever. And if you're going to sit there and comment on the health of your poor sensei, you can at least get me a glass of water."

She snorts but does end up fetching him water. When he pulls down his mask to drink it, she pauses without even meaning to. It's not because she sees his face because she's known for a long time that he trusts them enough to show his face, though that would be something to tease the rest of the team about since she's the first. He still likes teasing them by pretending he will and then not doing so. The reactions are usually priceless, so she'll give him that.

What surprises her isn't that his face is entirely normal- and it isn't - but she does feel something when seeing it that she can't remember having felt before. It's a little confusing, to be honest, and Shikako doesn't really do confusing. So while he drinks his water, she contemplates what this new feeling is.

It takes her an unusual amount of time to figure it out. Shikako excuses herself earlier than planned to give herself time to think it through, leaving a slightly suspicious sensei behind. He won't be alone for long though. If Gai had time to do challenges and run around the hospital, he wouldn't take long to return to bother Kakashi again.

She's halfway home when it hits her causing her to stop dead in her tracks. Her mind runs through every moment leading up to the revelation, trying to reassure herself that she isn't feeling what she believes she is feeling. Shikako can only think that this is probably one of those "oh shit" moments.

She's also reasonably sure that Kakashi will never go for it. He's known her for too long and seen her at too many of her worst moments to ever consider a relationship with her.

Shikako still spends a lot of her free time stalking her previous sensei and ensuring he doesn't go and exhaust himself again when he gets out of the hospital. It doesn't really matter what is said or what others think, she has always worried for the safety of her team from way before she developed this crush of hers. The stalking thing is a normal "worried about your teammate" procedure as far as she's concerned.

And if it's a chance to get Kakashi to see her as something other than a student that gets into a lot of trouble, well, he's already admitted they're his equals now. Just, not in as many words or worded in that manner.

* * *

Kakashi can admit – if only in his own head - that he may have been overdoing it a little lately. He also knows that he isn't the only one thinking it.

One hint would be the time he was forced to spend in the hospital and the visits of his students - one by one, like little ducklings - as well as those he tentatively called friends. Which is not really said out loud either, but he's perfectly aware that it is what he thinks of them.

Another hint would be the almost constant stalking of his female former student. Specifically, it would be that despite any evasion techniques he employs, she always finds him within the hour.

Kakashi thinks that maybe he should be offended, but then he remembers that this is just one more thing to brag about during those chats about former genins with all the old jonin-sensei. And outside of those chats. Anytime really.

He has good reasons to be proud.

That's probably why he will forgive Shikako for the frowning and overdone disappointed expressions when he runs about doing those challenges with Gai despite having been out of the Hospital for only half a week. He's aware of what she's trying to do, but he won't allow it to work more than once a week.

Kakashi has a bit of a soft spot for his former students, it's very well known. He has also been told that it is more than a soft spot, but he denies everything. No such thing as more. Forget it.

His reaction at the Grass Chunin Exam proves nothing.

Somewhere along the way, he finds himself enjoying spending time with Shikako outside of training and fighting and missions in general. Like discussing books and even a bit of sealing, though she knows much more than him - he can still talk a little about what his sensei could do, though, so he's not entirely useless in that debate.

It's disconcerting when she has to leave for a mission and he still isn't cleared for active duty - Tsunade-sama is being stubborn - because it's a lot more time on his own, but he hides it with bothering his other former students and being the one to challenge Gai.

Kakashi gives himself bonus points when he manages to do it in front of Lee, who takes the chance to challenge Naruto and Sasuke. Because Naruto is very agreeable to do it and Sasuke is easily swayed by Naruto.

The smug comment that Sasuke will lose anyway is no doubt what persuades him.

Kakashi still finds himself spending time thinking about Shikako. It's worry, he'll excuse himself with, if anyone notices, and he'll have good cause for it, what with their horrid mission luck, but at the same time, she's fully capable of taking care of herself.

Even if she does sometimes repeat his mistakes.

A student is supposed to learn from their teacher, yes? Kakashi has shown her what not to do. Shikako is supposed to not get chakra exhaustion ever again.

So of course team seven gets word that she's in the Hospital, having followed his lead.

That is also the moment Kakashi completely and undeniably understands his own feelings, an occasion that does not often arise.

He's very sure, as he races his two other former students towards where they'll find his third, that this is what one should title an "oh shit" moment. It'll be right up there with having said feelings being discovered by the father of said third former student.

Because Kakashi is completely and undeniably certain that these feelings of his are those of a fondness deeper than good friends.

He's too, irrationally, afraid that the Yamanaka clan will pick up the thought, that he doesn't dare use the proper words for it even then.

And denial may have something to do with that, too.

* * *

"Maaa it's not nice to copycat people," Kakashi says as his eyes sweep over his most troublesome, but still favorite, student-friend-person for other injuries.

"Of course not sensei," Shikako drawls. "I'll try to be injured more originally next time."

"Or you could just not get injured," Sasuke retorts. "It's bad enough we have to come here for sensei so much."

Kakashi just huffs. He can't deny that he's been here more than any one of them, though Shikako is catching up at an alarmingly fast rate despite her skill. And isn't that worrisome.

Visitors come and go as Kakashi simply leans up against a wall, keeping watch but also trying to find a way to protect his wayward charge. There weren't any good answers though as he didn't think he could convince Tsunade to let him go on every mission with her. Nor could he leave one or more of his dogs when he was gone on missions. Retiring and unofficially shadowing her would probably be more trouble than it was worth, but he wasn't eliminating it as an option quite yet.

"Sensei, if you're going to stay all night, you might as well take a chair. I doubt anyone else is coming to visit today."

Shikako's voice broke through his musings and he looked around, realizing she was probably right. Somehow the afternoon had already bled to evening and official visiting hours were probably over. He ambled over to one of the chairs and flopped into it while Shikako watched. She looked like she wanted to say something but then just shook her head and settled in.

"Goodnight sensei."

Kakashi waited until her breathing had evened out to reply "Sleep well Shikako."

* * *

When Shikako awoke, Kakashi was still flopped in the chair next to her bed lightly napping while keeping guard. She felt a little guilty about making him sleep in a chair, but her sensei was notoriously stubborn. Short of telling him she didn't want him here, he would leave when he wanted to and not a moment before. And telling him she didn't want him here would be a blatant lie which he was sure to pick up on. Lying to him had never been something she had been good at.

While he slept, she stole the chance to really look him over. Even in repose she could see the definition of his muscles. He was lean, but much stronger than he looked and Shikako could admit privately that even with his mask on he was still good looking.

"Maa Shikako, see something you like?"

She jumped as her sensei lazily opened his eye.

"Just checking to see if your injuries were healed," Shikako retorted, though her face flushed. Even as she said it, she realized how ridiculous of an excuse it was though. Chakra exhaustion hardly left external signs and he hadn't had any other injuries. He didn't call her on it though, and instead gave her a long suffering look.

"I'm not an invalid you know."

"Not this week at least," Shikako agreed. Kakashi ignored that comment as he stood up.

"Since you've been getting injured so much lately, I've decided we need remedial team training. I'll come get you once Tsunade has cleared you. Get well soon." He gave her one of his eye smiles and a cheerful wave before slipping out the window just as Tsunade herself came in to check on her.

"I don't know why I bother with visiting hours." Shikako heard Tsunade mutter.


	33. Nao (Uzumaki?), One

**A/N:** **I recently read Expectations & Revelations by The Butterfly Defect and wow, that was a great read, can't wait for new chapters to pop out. So I decided that since I couldn't remember what I'd written for a lot of other stuff just yet, I'd just go ahead and write for this. A Minato POV for something that happened in the story. :)**

* * *

It's big. But that's fine, they thrive in this kind of atmosphere, from Minato to Kushina to Naruto. Obito does, too, and Rin enjoys it. Kakashi finds a way to have fun.

Minato knows all if not most of them, and those he doesn't, he knows who is. Kushina probably is the same, but Naruto doesn't always pay attention to them at, say, during breakfast. When they sometimes discuss people in their village. Or complain about the elders, though that's usually Kushina. Or Obito. The best mornings are those when his team is there, too.

So it's a surprise to him to see the pretty red color of Kushina's hair on someone distinctively not Kushina.

He does a double-take, then continues to watch her as she speaks with some of the other adults before going for the food. He tries to not be rude to his conversationalist partners, but Kakashi appears at his side and drags the topic into something else, and he excuses himself to go investigate, Kushina following from a conversation of her own.

Clapping a hand onto Shikaku's shoulder, Minato smiles and asks, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend, Shikamaru-kun?"

He's staring straight at her, so he sees her reaction, or lack of it, and he's sure that Kushina is trying not to laugh when the child chides him on his manners, of all things. "It's polite to give your name before asking another's."

"Ah." Minato says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with a hand, because she's right. And he wants to seem approachable. Moving forward, he crouches so that they are at eye level, and hums. "My name is Namikaze Minato. You are?"

"Nao," she tells him, then after a pause, seems to see the need to clarify. "Just Nao."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Nao-chan," Minato smiles again, particularly when she nods and echo his words. And then she turns away as if the conversation is done and that's all there is to it, like he isn't anyone important or anything. He splutters and tries to regain her attention, but a thought reminds him that despite her likeness to Kushina, and doesn't that ring all sorts of warning bells, she's a child and children are rude. And doesn't really know who any adults are other than their parents or caregivers.

He'll just have to use something that'll want her to talk, then. "So, are you going to go to the academy?"

"I'm only five."

That doesn't sound like a no, though. Had he picked an appropriate topic?

"I see. But what about when you're old enough?"

"No."

The denial is so matter-of-fact that he finds it strange. He has yet to meet a child that does not want to be a ninja. So he asks, "No? Why not? Don't you think ninja are cool? Helping protect the village?"

"Not particularly," she tells him with a sigh, and he realizes that this isn't going to keep her attention. But she's a girl. And several radars in his mind has been pinged at this conversation. If this is how she thinks of ninjas, what about everything else? Will she react as a normal child at anything else?

Reaching out to touch bows carefully placed in her hair, he smiles faintly as he remembers how Kushina had been about her hair when they were kids, "I like your bows. And your hair, it's a pretty color."

But Nao doesn't react like Kushina had, the first time he'd complimented hers. She is clearly outright proud by it as she says of course, like it's an obvious fact of life and that it shouldn't need to be acknowledged out loud. It's just something that is. Her hair is pretty, nothing else to it, and it surprises him, she's an orphan and those working at an orphanage are usually overworked. He doubts many has had the time to reassure her, so how is she so confident in herself? She's only five.

Nao hops off her chair and goes to leave, but of course Kushina takes this moment to interject her own thoughts and opinions, and really, usually he might have considered telling her to slow down, but for now she's keeping the girl here, so he just watches in fond exasperation, at least for a minute or two, until Kushina has gotten out the possible facts and shown Nao that there's something here for her, too.

But they shouldn't overwhelm her, so when the girl makes her escape as he speaks to Kushina, he lets her.

The village is only so big, so they'll see her again. They know where she lives.


	34. Raiku Gairano, One

**A/N: The line "...Gairano couldn't have made trouble if they'd been given an instruction guide and two Uchiha to help." is still one of my favorite lines ever, so I thought I'd just pick two Uchiha and the one Gairano that always made trouble and see what happened from there. This is from** **Unsung Story of the Inconspicuous by** **Wrought.**

* * *

Raiku sat still. She sat very, very still.

At her sides, two others sat, one still and one very not-still. The still one was also very quiet, except when the not-quiet one got very, very noisy. Then he made the not-quiet one be a little less... Not-quiet.

She liked it when he wasn't constantly speaking, because then she could pretend she was at home and not attracting attention. She very much disliked attention, like any good Gairano should. Except she didn't really like it when the not-quiet one got quiet.

They would turn towards her, then. He'd already tried, maybe out of politeness, to ask her name, the not-quiet one, and that had been the moment she froze in her position, hands flat on the desk. She very much thought this was a very bad idea, and as her father had told her that morning; she would have to fail at this second test, since it was her own fault for having ended up taking the Graduation test, somehow thinking it was one of the regular tests.

Raiku shivered- no, she did not shiver, she sat very still and that not-shiver did not attract attention from her two Genin teammates. She specifically did not attract any attention and the moment they looked away, they would forget that they had a third teammate and she would fail and the Jounin-Sensei would absolutely forget about her and then she could go home and not have to meet another Equaliser.

Several hours later, she dazedly wandered along with them to pick up a mission from the missions desk, not entirely sure how she had passed and ended up on the Genin team with two Uchiha. Even more important, two Uchiha who were covered in plot. Said plot which was constantly leering at her, now that it was sure she wouldn't make them fail.

Sweat dripped down her neck and Raiku prayed for mission failure and to be sent back to the Academy for weakness, and so didn't notice that one of her teammates were trying to get her attention until she'd crashed into said teammate.

"Are you alright?"

Raiku stared up in bewilderment at Uchiha Itachi, halfway sitting on top of a frozen Uchiha Shisui, who, now that she looked down on him, was turning red as he stared right back at her.

It took her several seconds to realize just what she'd done and wailing, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," she leapt up from Shisui and set off running full speed ahead, leaving a completely silent Team behind, the only sound of awkward bird chirping in the background. And by the time they'd caught up to her, she was wilting in a corner of darkness and growing, moldy mushrooms and the terrible realization that she was the worst Gairano in existence.

Her current team was never going to forget about her if it continued like this, and when, by the end of the day, the mission of capturing a cat had somehow evolved into fighting bandits for it, she knew that if the Equaliser didn't get her, the plot would.


End file.
